Newfield shooting suspect considered 'armed and dangerous'

One of the two victims in Tuesday's shooting in Newfield was nursing serious leg wounds Wednesday - and shaking his head at the thought that Donnell Harrison, his acquaintance, is the person police are now seeking as the lone suspect in the crime.

Harrison, also known as "DB," acted oddly in the weeks leading up to the incident, the victim said, and he may have trumped up an excuse in order to try to rob him and his friend at around 12:50 p.m. in a trailer home on Depot Way.

"Quite frankly, it's like he's been planning this for a while," said the man, who is not being identified. The victim was unaware that Harrison is a convicted burglar who has spent time in prison.

Tompkins County sheriff's deputies, Ithaca police and state police are involved in the search for Harrison, 35, who's considered armed and dangerous, sheriff's officials said. The identities of the victims are being kept confidential in accordance with Journal policy.

Unable to walk without assistance, the victim grimaced as he recalled the incident. He was discharged Wednesday from Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, Pa.

The victim said Harrison shot the second victim in the face, and the bullet - which doctors haven't yet removed - shattered the jaw bones on the left side.

The bullet that wounded the first victim went through both of his thighs and missed his femoral arteries by three centimeters, the victim said.

Criminal record

Harrison pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary in 2000 in Bronx County. He was sentenced to six years in prison and five years of post-release supervision, according to state and Bronx county officials.

Though details of that incident couldn't be developed by press time, the crime Harrison pleaded guilty to specifies that he injured someone while committing the burglary.

Harrison was paroled for the first time in April 2005, but he violated his parole three times and was in and out of prison until March 2011, when he completed his sentence, state records said.

Harrison hails from the New York City, and his loved ones live in the West Village apartments in Ithaca, the victim said.

The victims have repaired Harrison's Ford Explorer several times in the past, he added.

But Harrison has been acting strangely in recent weeks, the victim said. Though the victim never disclosed to Harrison that he was staying at the trailer park, Harrison found out and began showing up there, unannounced, early in the morning or late at night, the victim recalled.

Last week, Harrison insisted on giving him and his wife a ride back to Newfield, the victim recalled, and got angry when they declined the offer. The incident, coupled with Harrison's other strange behavior, made them suspicious, he added.

Suspicions confirmed

The victims were in the trailer's bedroom when Harrison arrived unannounced on Tuesday afternoon, the first victim recalled.

"We were playing video games when he showed up," he said.

Harrison looked over his friend's Playstation and Wii and acted like he wanted to buy the devices, he recalled.

Then Harrison's mood turned ugly, the victim said. He angrily accused the pair of stealing money from his residence, and demanded that they return it, he said.

They vehemently denied the accusation, and reminded Harrison that they'd never been to his home when he wasn't there, the victim said.

"And then he pulled out a gun and shot me in the leg, and shot my friend in the cheek, under his eye," he said. "He aimed right at my leg."

He described the gun as an automatic.

They called 911 as Harrison fled, and then struggled painfully out to the porch to await the ambulance, the victim said. During the chaos, the bullet that struck him fell out of his wound and onto the kitchen floor, where law-enforcement officials recovered it, he added.

Ongoing search

Harrison is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, bald and weighs about 165 pounds, sheriff's officials said. He was living on Barnes Hill Road in Newfield at the time of the shooting, they added.

Doctors expect the first victim to recover in eight to 12 weeks, but his friend is facing a longer recovery period and reconstructive surgery, the victim said.

"I'm hoping he gets caught," the man said of Harrison. "That's the biggest thing right now."

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Newfield shooting suspect considered 'armed and dangerous'

One of the two victims in Tuesday's shooting in Newfield was nursing serious leg wounds Wednesday ? and shaking his head at the thought that Donnell Harrison, his acquaintance, is the person police

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